Starlight
by BlackDragon2
Summary: An inside look to the thoughts of those around them...


  
  
  
  
  
STARLIGHT  
  
By: BlackDragon  
  
Disclaimer: all characters portrayed in this fanfic are property and copyright  
to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Communications. This fic is not intended to infringe  
those rights. It will be used only for self-enjoyment.  
  
This story is written in Ranma's perspective. Just in case you're wondering.  
  
******  
  
I'm still sitting on that destroyed lanscape; a hot water kettle to my side  
and a stunningly beautiful woman on my lap. I did it all for her. The toughest  
opponent I ever fought; I had beaten him for her. It was his fault that she was   
suffering. He brought her here just to get to me. He used his disciples to  
trick me about her. They made me think she was gone. She wasn't. It had been  
much worse than that. She was turned into a doll just to save me from becoming  
lunch to an egg. A stupid egg that cultivated the only thing I've killed. He  
didn't die, he was reborn, but his former body was destroyed; to me he was  
dead. I would not hesitate to kill if it meant her. Saving her. I'd make him  
suffer again and again if it was required. It's his fault. He- he kept me  
from saving her.  
  
I can feel tears coursing down my cheeks, but I let them flow. I see as how  
they fall on her face. I can't do anything now. She- she's gone. She left me.  
I failed her. I swore to myself long before that I would never let harm find her.  
But I failed, miserably. She fought with all her strength, and in the end, she   
smiled. You'd think that she'd be mad at me, like I am at myself, but she wasn't.  
She was content, dare I say happy. She had helped me; when didn't she? Even though  
it had cost her her life, she was glad.  
  
For some reason, I've seen this before, in my nightmares, only this isn't a dream.  
If it is, I desperately want to wake up.   
  
I grab her with all the strength I have left, hoping against all reason, all logic,  
everything, that she'll wake up. She didn't. It pierces a wound so deep in my heart,   
that I think of joining her. A quick step off the ledge and we'd be together again.  
That's what matters. But I have to let her know, only once in the mortal world, before  
I join her. Her cold skin rubbed against my cheek; God, how I wish she'd breath.   
She'd moved, pulled out her huge mallet, hit me and made me snap out of this   
hellish nightmare.   
  
Every single thing I ever said to her hits me smack in the face. All the hurt, the  
insults, everything, it all comes to me. And in a moment of clarity, or purity as many  
others have called it before me, my demons leave me and the truth swells in my heart.  
Incredable pain follows, but the words; my denial shatters, as I say those words that  
I tried to get rid of come out. I was a proud bastard; still am. If my stupidity  
and ego hadn't gotten in the way, I would've told her sooner. Maybe then, we could have  
avoided this. It doesn't matter now. I felt as if my wail reached heaven, but that   
was soon replaced with sorrow.   
  
"LET ME TELL YOU I LOVE YOU AKANE! AKANEEEE!!!!"  
  
Any moment now, I feel she'll wake up, touch my cheek, and then we'd leave. We'd be  
happy. Only, she didn't. She layed there, dead in my arms. My screams of hurt and pain  
rock the land. I can feel my chi rise to a point where a normal Shishihokodan would be  
nothing more than a little spark; one I'd use in the world of shadows to fry his ass  
and sell him as roast chicken. I pulled my beloved so close to me that I could swear  
she was still moving. Only, that was me. I rocked back and forth, screaming, moaning,  
wailing, shouting, calling out to her. Urging her to come back to me. I can't be  
without her. I don't know anything but her. I can't live without her by my side.  
She cared for me. She loved me. And... I don't know life without her in it. I don't  
want to live without her. I never cried so much in my life, nor will I ever again.  
  
******  
  
I sit up on my bed in the dark, sweating cold. I try to shake away my sleep, scrubbing  
my hand on my face. It was that dream again. That same stupid, damn nightmare.  
  
Quickly I stand up, woken up further by my father's snores. I need some fresh air,  
so I open the window and take to the roof, right above her bedroom.  
  
I just sat there, thinking. Thinking of my life. All the things that have ever affected  
me. Somehow I can't shake that they are my fault, even though they really aren't.   
Especially with her. I regret so much all the things I ever said that caused her harm.   
I hurt her in so many ways. I'm still surprised that after all that, she was still  
able to stand me. But I can't even stand myself.  
  
I still can't believe she wanted to marry me when we got home. Despite the fact that  
our father's forced us into it, she was willing, if not eager. She looked stunning  
in that gown. I felt my love grow at her dashing beauty. We sat and talked and I  
asked why. I already knew, but my uncertaintly returned. I knew, and she told me,  
but my pride and demons returned and once again; I denied it. I hated myself for it.  
It took me a while to realize why, after everything we've been through, I denied it.  
Why couldn't I tell her that I loved her? That she meant the world to me? That she  
was my life and that I would never let her go? The answer was my fear. I felt she'd  
be ashamed of me. Ashamed of being married to half-man freak like me. I wish that  
wasn't so, I wish I could control what happens around me, but I can't, no matter  
how hard I try.  
  
I don't want her to be in danger ever again. If she stayed with me, God knows what  
could happen. She deserves better than that. She deserves a loving husband, wonderful  
children and a happy life. She deserves better... than me.  
  
I thought about leaving the first week after. I felt so guilty. But every time I  
looked at her, I could feel her unspoken love, her care, her affection, her need for  
me. I could even feel it when she clobbered me with that mallet of hers.  
  
I let out a sleepy sigh, but I don't want to go back to sleep. I don't want to have   
that same nightmare. I just want to stare at the night. I know what causes it though.  
It's been a whole month since the failed wedding attempt, and every night afterward,  
that dream plagued me. But I know what it means. It's a warning, or a reminder to  
cherish my time here on Earth, cherish it with her. My heart is screaming for me  
to act soon. I have to tell her then. Yeah, that's it. I'll tell her. In fact,  
I'll do it tomorrow...  
  
I jump a little when I feel something rest on my shoulder. I touch it with my hand,  
and it's another hand. I hope it isn't that Joketsuzoku, or those people from Jusendo.  
It isn't, the skin is warm, tender. It's her. It's Akane, standing behind me,  
smiling that angelike smile of her's. She's still dressed in her pajamas; I don't  
bother wondering why, it's three a.m. God, that smile. I love that smile. Who  
wouldn't find themselves getting lost in that sight. She sat beside me, pushing her  
legs up to her chest, her arms going around them for support and resting her head  
on her knees.  
  
"What are you doing up here, Ranma?" she asks me.  
  
"Just... thinkin'"  
  
"What about?"  
  
"Just about everything, I guess. My curse, Jusendo, the whole fiance thing, everything."  
  
I clearly noticed how she hesitated, but reluctantly reached for my hand and squeezed  
it lightly. My hand tingled and I blushed. I looked at her, and couldn't miss that she  
was blushing just as bad as me.  
  
"I- if you need any help, p-please, don't hesitate asking me."  
  
I can't help but feel happy at her words. I smiled. "S-sure. I-I- I'd like that."  
  
"I can always lend an ear, as long as you do the same, ok?"  
  
"...(GULP) Yeah..."  
  
For a long moment, we stared into each others eyes. I squeezed her hand as well. I   
really didn't know what to say or do, but I don't want to screw this up.  
  
After a while with that loss of words, I noticed that a little music was coming from  
downstairs. Probably one of her sisters left a radio on. It was a slow song, one I've  
heard before. I swallowed hard and pushed away shyness and uncertainty as I stood and  
walked just behind her. She followed me with her gaze, a curious look on her face,   
but she didn't speak or move.  
  
I trembled for a few moments, but I held out my hand and smiled.  
  
"Would you like to dance?"  
  
She stared at me as if I'd just spoken chinese, but she too smiled.  
  
"I'd love to," she said as she took my hand and stood.  
  
Her arms snaked around my neck, while my own found their way around her waist, she rested  
her head on my chest; and we danced. Slowly, only about two steps at a time each, our bare  
feet making the roof creek.   
  
For the longest time I can remember, I feel happy. Happy to be alive, happy to be   
where I am now.  
  
"Ranma, I..." she began.  
  
"Akane, I..." I began.  
  
We looked at each other, blushed, and then laughed a little.  
  
"You first," she said.  
  
I smiled and cupped her face in my hand. Her skin is so smooth. She's like an angel.  
My angel.  
  
"Akane, I-I, I'm s-s-sorry."  
  
"What for?"  
  
"For everything. For the insults, the pain, the misunderstandings. I know I've hurt   
you, and I want to say that I'm sorry."  
  
"Ranma," she said as she brushed my cheek with her hand. "You never hurt me. I was  
mad because I couldn't sort out my feelings for you. I thought you didn't like me.  
But, you could have run off with any other girl, but you didn't. You stayed here with  
me. I didn't know what it meant at the time, but I think I have the general idea now."  
  
"You-you mean?" I began as hope swelled in my heart.  
  
"Shh," she whispered as she put a finger on my lips. She smiled and again rested her   
head on my chest. We began moving around again.  
  
I danced with her so close to me, stunned beyond words. Her hold on me was so warm,  
so comforting. Her touch made me forget all my problems. All the pain in my life,  
all of it, forgotten.  
  
I could feel her snuggling closer to me, and faintly registered her tears soaking  
my tank-top. She didn't sob though. Oh no. Hers' were tears of joy.  
  
I pulled her closer to me, never wanting to let go. Tears of my own begin to flow.  
This hurt a lot, like a half-healed wound. Hell, maybe it was, but that doesn't matter   
anymore. I am now, by all means, complete.  
  
"I love you, Akane."  
  
"I-I love you too, Ranma."  
  
We look at each other for a moment that could last a few lifetimes. She smiled and  
absently brushed away my tears. My heart almost leaped out of my chest as she raised  
herself on tip-toe and pressed her lips on mine. Our first kiss, but definately  
not the last.  
  
After an eternity in the kiss, she broke and again rested on my chest. I pulled  
her as close as I could as we began dancing again. The music had long since stopped,  
but we didn't care. Only this moment mattered. This would be where the rest of our  
lives started. A new chapter in our love has been written, with only the moon and  
stars as witnesses. Everyone would wonder how it happened, how we finally came  
together, but they'd never know. This is only for us to know.  
  
We danced for a long time, never wanting the moment to stop. Never that is, until  
we realized that this was only the beggining. This was just the first of countless  
others. We looked at each other and kissed once more, rays of starlight inmortalizing  
us on our heavenly dance floor.  
  
END  
  
  
******  
  
Authors notes:  
  
How did you like it? Cute, I know. Just in case you're a little confused, this is  
Ranma's perspective. I had an hour to kill and thus: Voila!  
  
Glossary of non-english words:  
  
-Shishihokodan: Raging Tiger Bullet (Deppression Blast-chi based).  
  
-Jusendo: training ground on the high mountains of China.  
  
-Joketsuzoku: tribe of amazon women in China. If a foreign woman defeats one of them,   
she is to be killed by her defeated opponent. If a man defeats one of them, he will  
have to marry her.   
  
  
-P.S. To all my friends. Without you all I don't know who or where I might be now.  
God bless you all.  
  
  
I might write others like this, in the other characters' POV's, so be expecting them. 


End file.
